Improvement in wheelbarrows



G. B. TBNNENT.

Wheelbarr'ow.

No', 207,222. Patented Aug. 2o, 187s.

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GILBERT B. TENNENT, OF ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA.

IMPROVEMENT IN WH EELBARROWS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 207,222, dated August 20, 1878; application filed January 22, 1878.

To all whom it may-concern:

Be it known that I, GILBERT B. TENNENT, of the city of Asheville, in the county of 4Buncombe and State of North Carolina, have invented a new and useful Improvement in VVheelbarrows, which improvement is fully set forth in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing.

The object of my invention is, by simplicity in the construction of a wheelbarrow, to oombine lightness, convenience, cheapness, and strength. This I have accomplished by making the frame of a single piece of wood, which, without mortise or tenon, is secured to the frame of the body or bed.

In order to illustrate and explain my said invention, I will describe it, similar letters in the drawing representing similar parts.

Figure l of the drawing is a side view of a wheelbarrow constructed according to my improvement. Fig. 2 is a bottom view of the same.

A A represent a continuous frame formed of a single piece of wood, a a being the handles thereof. B and C represent braces connecting the legs and continuous frame, and extending upward, so as to form the front part of the body of the barrow. b b are the legs, andv c c extensions to brace the sides of the barrow against uprights within. D is the wheel, and d d the journals of the axle. e is a strip of plank to hold the legs in arigid position, similar strips f and g in rear of the wheel serving for the continuous frame a similar purpose. E is the bed, and F the sides.

The frame A A is constructed of a single piece of wood, preferably white oak, although, as must be obvious to any person skilled in the art to which my invention appertains, hickory or other pliable wood may be used. For a wheelbarrow of common size, this piece of wood should be about twelve feet long and two inches square, the part forward of the axle being thinned, the better to admit of bending, and the ends are rounded for the handles. This frame is not weakened by mortise or tenen, for such it has not, being merely secured to the braces B and C by screws or nails, so that when it is bent and braced, as shown at e, f, and g-say, with one-and-aquarter-inch plank six inches wide-the frame is stronger and less liable to yield or give than any wheelbarrow constructed in the ordinary mode. The braces B C extend from the lower part of the legs to the front of the wheelbarrow and over. the wheel D, so that the weight is thrown forward, thus requiring less propelling power than in a wheelbarrow constructed on the usual mode. The wheel D is of solid wood, preferably white oak, from its cheapness and ease of manufacture, and it is intended to be bound or hooped with iron; but of course the more expensive spoke-wheel may be used. The journals d d are held in place by straps of iron screwed onto the frame, which is a little grooved to give place to the journals.

It must be apparent to any person skilled in the art that the single piece of wood A A, constituting the frame, may be adapted to trucks and to wheelbarrows intended for coalmining or for canal purposes, the parts being easily and cheaply supplied by one possessing the least skill.

I am well aware that the frame of a wheelbarrow has before been made of a continuous piece of metal tubing, as is shown by B. W. Tuthills reissued Patent No. 4,341, dated April l1, 1871; therefore I do not broadly claim a continuous frame. Nor do I claim the guard formed by the bent part of the frame, for I am well aware that the patent of Joseph G. Harrison, N o. 155,084, dated September 15,1874, shows a semicircular guard of the same nature.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

In a wheelbarrow, the continuous wooden frame A A, constructed as described, in combination with the braces B O, wheel l), legs b b, extensions c c and braces c f g, and bed E, as and for the purpose described.

GILBERT B. TENN ENT.

Witnesses:

N. T. SUMMLNG, J. E. SLUTDER. 

